On April, 22 in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory has hosted a jubilee concert, dedicated to the 60th anniversary of MEPhI Academic Male Choir.

Vice-rector of MEPhI V.V. Uzhva addressed a welcoming speech to the artistic director of the choir, honored artist of Russia N.V. Malyavina, choirmasters, accompanists and all the participants of the choir: "It is impossible to imagine our university without a choir. It glorifies itself and MEPhI, showing remarkable results. At the recent World Choir Games, our choir won two gold medals. Of course, this is a tremendous success, and it is especially pleasant that this happened on the eve of the 75th anniversary of the University. You gave us a wonderful gift, many thanks to you all!"

The Head of the MEPhI Department of Cultural and Mass Work A.S. Nevzorov noted deeply moral, enlightening and educational activities of Nadezhda Vasilyevna: "This is a true patriot of our homeland, who conducts its own choir the same way that we all witnessed at this concert."

The owner of the high rank of the People's Collective of Russia with triumph presented to great admirers a great celebration program. The choir performed works by I.-S. Bach, V. Shebalin, Y. Evgrafov, Vic. Kalinnikova E. Kolmonovskiy, G. Ernesaks, E. Kolmanovsky, V. Agafonnikov and others. The hall of the Conservatoire was repeatedly announced by the enthusiastic "Bravo!" and prolonged applause.

On this day, many kind words were voiced to the staff, consisting of students and graduates of MEPhI, and its leader. The guests wished the choir big and joyful achievements, creative prosperity and new victories.

The Head of the Choral Conducting Department of the Moscow State Conservatory, Professor S.S. Kalinin noted the professionalism of the team, which devoted itself to serving science, technology and "the most precious art for every man – choral singing".

Representatives of the Liderkranz singing society from Fürth congratulated on the milestone birthday of their Russian colleagues, expressing gratitude to the MEPhI choir for many years of friendship and for enjoying the wonderful concerts.

On behalf of the union of Moscow composers Professor of the Moscow conservatory V.G. Agafonnikov said: "Music and the exact sciences, represented by the choir, give a unique example of commonwealth and harmony. For many years of its fruitful activity the male choir of MEPhI has made an invaluable contribution to the sphere of musical enlightenment, gained the authority, appreciation and love of millions of listeners in Russia and far beyond its borders. More than once famous composers-Muscovites entrusted the premiere performance of their works to your collective," emphasized Vladislav Germanovich.

The message of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reflects the impressions of the choir's performance for the staff of this international organization: "The team demonstrates how physics engineers can combine intensive work in fundamental and applied fields of nuclear energy with remarkable, highly artistic singing of choral music."

Taking the final word, N.V. Malyavina sincerely thanked the listeners: "The main result of our work is your perception of what we are doing. Thank you very much". Nadezhda Vasilievna emphasized the inextricable connection of the remarkable male chorus with alma mater – MEPhI, and thanked its leaders for the constant attention and help to the collective.

In the final of the concert, according to tradition, the choristers of all generations rose to the stage and together they sang Rubinstein's Night, Hunters Chorus by Weber and Gaudeamus.

After the concert the choir participants and listeners shared their impressions:

Ivan Dyatlov, the chorister:

– It was unforgettable! The hall lived with us every song. It is definitely great to feel yourself in a huge, cohesive team. But this involves a great responsibility, which you feel not only for yourself, but for the whole team.

Elena Ivanova, listener of the concert:

– Every time I feel great pleasure, trembling and pride, when I listen to the performance of the MEPhI male choir. Today's concert was special also because the organ sounded after ten years of silence! I liked the "Requiem" by Andrew Lloyd Weber, in which the choirmasters were soloists who contributed to the performance with their vocal.

Ilya Zvonarev, chorister:

– In my opinion, the multi-month work of both choirmasters and choristers produced very impressive results. But also the audience was sympathetic.

Historical notes on the Academic Male Choir MEPhI:

– The first rehearsal of the choir was held on October 16, 1956 in the old building of MEPhI on the Kirova street, 21. It was led by Esther Moiseevna Ryvkina, who chaired the choir for 30 years. "It is an absolutely wonderful woman, from the point of view of her musical education, and just as a human. When there were no copier machines, we all learned from the voice. Esther Moiseevna sang the next line, and we repeated after her.”

Since 1987, Nadezhda Vasilyevna Malyavina took after her, who is a pupil of the famous masters of Russian choral art K.B. Ptitza and V.G. Sokolov, Honored Artist of Russia. "Nadezhda Vasilyevna very skillfully selects a repertoire for different audiences."

– "In 1963 we also appeared on television with an independent program for 45 minutes, where they talked about their lives, about the creation of the choir."

– The chorus repeatedly won in prestigious competitions, including the international scale ones.

– Achievements of the team include victory in the choral competition in Malta in 1993, the participation in the Great Consecration of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in 2000, the presentation in 2006 at the opening of the jubilee 50th session of the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency. In 2010, on the 65th anniversary of the Great Victory, the choir performed in the Svetlanovsky Hall of the Moscow House of Music with the concert program "March of the winners" in conjunction with the Presidential Orchestra of Russia.

– MEPhI Academic male choir is the winner of the International Festival of Choral Singing "World Choral Games" in Sochi in 2016.

– The choir's repertoire is huge and diverse. There are Russian and Western classics, folk songs, military-patriotic songs of the Soviet period, works of contemporary composers, Russian Orthodox chants, Western European spiritual music.

*Quotes are taken from an interview with a chorister Yuri Drews, who is a member of the choir since its inception, Professor at the Department of computer systems and technologies (12) of MEPhI.